Zebra mussels spread quickly in Lake Minnetonka

Zebra mussels were first found in Lake Minnetonka in 2010, and the invasive species has already infested the waters of the metro-area lake, KARE 11 reports. The shelled pests have moved further and become more dense, and now inhabit roughly 80 to 90 percent of the lake, one expert says. KARE's Belinda Jensen takes a dive and offers this up-close look at the worsening problem.

Author:
BMTN Staff
Updated:
Mar 8, 2018
Original:
Nov 2, 2012

Zebra mussels were first found in Lake Minnetonka in 2010, and the invasive species has already infested the waters of the metro-area lake, KARE 11 reports. The shelled pests have moved further and become more dense, and now inhabit roughly 80 to 90 percent of the lake, one expert says. KARE's Belinda Jensen takes a dive and offers this up-close look at the worsening problem.

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A new treatment that was intended to kill zebra mussels in two Minnesota lakes was not successful. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources used copper sulfate, a chemical used to treat swimmer's itch, to get rid of the invasive species in Lake Irene in Douglas County and Rose Lake in Otter Tail County.

State officials will take the rare step of using a pesticide to try and curtail a zebra mussel infestation in a western Minnesota lake. The Pioneer Press says the chemical might be effective if the mussels haven't spread from a contained area. Local officials, though, say the DNR is not responding effectively to stop the destructive mollusks.

The Department of Natural Resources says there's hope that a chemical might help stop the spread of the invasive aquatic species that is fast spreading in Minnesota lakes. The DNR treated Rose Lake in Otter Tail County last fall, and two divers who scoured the lake this week did not find any zebra mussels.

Property owners on three Carver County lakes are suing Minnesota DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr. They argue that it's up to the state agency to develop an approach that will stop the spread of invasive zebra mussels. And they say Commissioner Landwehr has failed in that duty.

The invasive species has now infested more than 60 lakes across the state, MPR reports. Minnesota has about 3,000 public access points to lakes and rivers, but the Minnesota DNR has only 118 inspectors charged with keeping invasive species out of the lakes and rivers. The DNR says about 20 percent of boaters they check are violating laws by not pulling boat plugs, draining water or removing weeds from their vessels.

Biologists say they don't know yet why zebra mussels disappeared from a 25-mile stretch of the St. Croix River. They think either turbulent water or hungry carp might be behind the sudden retreat of the invasive shellfish that displaces native species.

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